- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 15 Jan 2026 06:33 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A chilling assassination threat against US President Donald Trump has surfaced on Iranian state-linked television, intensifying already fraught tensions between Washington and Tehran. On Wednesday, January 14, an Iranian TV channel aired an image of Trump from his 2024 election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he survived an assassination attempt, paired with an ominous warning in Persian: “This time, the bullet won’t miss.”
The screenshot of the broadcast was shared widely on social media by Israeli-American journalist Emily Schrader, drawing swift international attention. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused the United States of exploiting nationwide protests and Iran’s worsening economic crisis to justify military action. The unrest erupted in December after the Iranian rial collapsed to record lows and has since spread across the country, despite heavy crackdowns by security forces. Tehran maintains that foreign powers are stoking instability, a charge Washington denies.
In a recent post on Truth Social, he accused Iran of routinely killing peaceful protesters and warned: “If Iran kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.” Tehran had issued similar threats in 2022, including a video depicting an assassination attempt on Trump at his Mar-a-Lago golf course.
‘Killings Have Stopped’, Trump Claims
Speaking on Wednesday, Trump said he had been informed “on good authority” that Iran had halted plans for executions, even as Iranian authorities signal fast-track trials amid the crackdown. Trump has repeatedly told Iranians that “help is on the way,” though he has offered no details on how the US might act.
His remarks came amid reports that the United States has begun repositioning forces in the Middle East, including troop movements from its largest regional base, raising concerns of retaliation if Iran is struck. Iranian officials have pointed to their June 2025 retaliatory attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a warning of their capabilities.
Warning Of Strong US Response
In an interview with CBS News, Trump warned of a forceful response if executions escalated. “When they start killing thousands of people… we’ll see how that’s going to work out for them,” he said.
Iranian authorities dismissed the comments as a pretext for intervention. Meanwhile, human rights groups report grim figures: the Human Rights Activists News Agency claims more than 2,600 protesters have been killed and over 18,400 detained, as Iran’s leadership faces mounting pressure from economic collapse, sanctions, and sustained public anger.